Google to open own high-street stores

Google looks set to follow in Apple’s footsteps by opening its own high-street retail stores, allowing customers to try out the Google Nexus 7, Google Nexus 4 and Google Chromebooks before purchasing.

Speaking to 9to5Google, an “extremely reliable source” confirmed the search engine giant is in the process of launching its own chain of stand-alone retail stores, starting in major towns and cities in the US.

The aim of the stores is to give customers access to new and existing Google products, including their Google Nexus and Google Chrome devices, with a try-before-you-buy system not offered by the online Google Play store.

Google already has Google Chrome pop-up stores within American Best Buy stores and fifty PCWorld and Dixon’s stores in the UK, where Google trained employees demonstrate the Google Chromebook benefits and answer customer product queries.

These store-within-a-store models are mainly for educational purposes, with the English and American stores handling the finances rather than Google itself. The reportedly soon-to-open Google stores would be run independently like the online Google Play store, like the Apple stores.

Google’s decision to start its own store chain came when brainstorming ways to offer Google Glass augmented reality technology to the general public. The search engine giant believes that consumers would be more willing to buy Google Glass if they could give the augmented reality glasses a test-run first, especially as the glasses could cost between $500 - $1,000 (£322 - £644).

Although there are not yet reports on whether the Google stores will be hitting the British high-streets, Google customers in the US will see stores appearing in “major metropolitan areas” just in time for Christmas.

Would you like to trial the Google Nexus 7 or Google Nexus 4 in a dedicated Google store? Do you think having Google stores on the high-street would be a good idea? Let us know via the TrustedReviews Facebook and Twitter pages or the comment boxes below.